July 2026 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

NEW PUBLICATION: Drone photogrammetry reveals age-structure shifts with potential consequences for the viability of spinner dolphins in Hawai'i
by Fabien Vivier 02 Jul '26

02 Jul '26

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our latest open-access publication: "Drone photogrammetry reveals age-structure shifts with potential consequences for the viability of spinner dolphins in Hawai'i", published in *Endangered Species Research *and available here: https://www.int-res.com/journals/esr/articles/esr01512 <https://www.int-res.com/journals/esr/articles/esr01512> Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or problems accessing the link (fvivier(a)hawaii.edu or fabien.vivier(a)univ-lr.fr) Kind regards, Fabien Vivier - Postdoctoral Research Fellow *La Rochelle Université - Observatoire Pelagis* *UAR 3462 CNRS-LRUniv* *5 allée de l'océan* *17000 La Rochelle* *France* -------------------------------------------------------------------- *Abstract:* Evaluating age structure in long-lived species is crucial for understanding population dynamics. In mammal populations, the proportion of calves, juveniles, and adults serves as an early indicator of population trajectory, where stability usually reflects viability, and deviations may signal growth or decline. Surveys conducted in 2021 and 2022 integrated unoccupied aerial system (UAS, drone) photogrammetry to assess the age structure of the Hawai'i Island population of Gray’s spinner dolphins *Stenella longirostris longirostris* chronically exposed to human disturbances for over 4 decades. Age-length data from stranded dolphins allowed us to estimate total body length (TL) of dolphins from photographs using the relationship between TL and blowhole-to-dorsal-fin distance and to develop the first age-length growth curve for this population. We then used TL estimates to classify dolphins as calves (0-2 yr), juveniles (≥2-9 yr), or adults (9+ yr). Calves comprised only 9.3% of the population, significantly lower than the 17.2% expected under stable conditions for spinner dolphins and below values reported for bottlenose dolphins Tursiops spp. (12.4-18%). This suggests limited recruitment, raising concerns about long-term viability. Sampling and ecological factors (e.g. prey availability) did not explain the low calf percentage, suggesting that other factors, such as chronic anthropogenic disturbances like tourism, are likely affecting the reproductive rates of this population. These findings support the need for effective management interventions, such as time-area closures in critical dolphin resting habitats, which may help mitigate disturbances. Long-term monitoring of this population is needed to evaluate trends in age structure and abundance and the efficacy of management interventions. *How to cite this paper:* Vivier F, Lusseau D, Hofmann NJ, West K, McPherson L, Nemeth C, Wells RS, van Aswegen M, Manlik O, Chivers S, Pacini A, Booth C, Bejder L (2026) Drone photogrammetry reveals age-structure shifts with potential consequences for the viability of spinner dolphins in Hawai'i. Endang Species Res 60:esr01512 https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01512 *Funding:* NOAA-PIFSC, the Office of Naval Research, Dolphin Quest, the US Department of Defense’s Defense University Research Instrumentation Program, the Omidyar Ohana Fund, the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant program, Earthwatch Institute, and Brookfield Zoo Chicago.

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Protected Species Observer Training Course on July 18-19
by Angela Bostwick 01 Jul '26

01 Jul '26

MPSC is offering an online training course that provides Protected Species Observer (also known as Marine Mammal Observer) Certification on July 18-19, 2026. This training is approved by the federal agencies Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) in coordination with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to provide Protected Species Observer Certification for geological and geophysical survey exploration for oil and gas or other resources in the Gulf, and the certification is often accepted in many other regions or industries where monitoring and mitigation is required for reducing impacts to protected species. Course cost includes the instruction, advice on applying to PSO positions, the professional certification, and the provision of various regulatory documents and supplementary identification guides which will be yours to keep. This course will examine the regulations for reducing impacts to marine mammals, sea turtles, and protected fish, how to locate and identify the animals, and the monitoring and objective reporting that is required for submission to regulatory agencies. After discussing regulatory requirements, we will examine key identifying traits and behaviors of the different protected species, as well as the key visual cues which can enable location of protected species in a dynamic and rapidly-changing environment. The course also includes discussions on how to prepare and pack for life offshore. The live, interactive discussions for this course provide a personalized approach to learning as we discuss how to identify protected species and how to document impacts to the animals. The interactive discussion in this course will also include best practice methods for living and working with other PSOs and vessel crew within a collaborative team environment, in order to effectively advise on the regulatory measures required to document and reduce impacts to protected species. By monitoring for marine mammals, sea turtles, and protected fish, advising on the mitigation measures that are required, and documenting impacts through impartial and unbiased reporting, PSOs serve a crucial role in the conservation of protected species during industry operations. Additional information may be found on the MPSC website at http://www.protectedspeciesobservers.com/, by contacting me at ABostwick(a)psocertifications.com, or by phone at 832-523-2402. Thank you, Angela Bostwick Founder & CEO Marine Protected Species Consulting ProtectedSpeciesObservers.com BOEM/BSEE/NMFS-Compliant Provider of Protected Species Observer Certification

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New Publication
by Ashley Barratclough 01 Jul '26

01 Jul '26

We would like to share a new publication with you all entitled "Machine learning discriminates bacterial, fungal, and viral infections using temporal blood analyte dynamics in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)” which was published in the AVMA Journal American Journal of Veterinary Research <https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/ajvr/aop/ajvr.26.03.0129/ajvr.2…> this week and is open access with the PDF available to download.. This paper uses retrospective Navy dolphin blood samples from animals with known infection causes to identify shifts in each individual dolphin's blood result profile to establish their most likely cause of infection - an exciting new personalised medicine approach. The aim is to use machine learning to detect patterns we would otherwise likely miss when reviewing blood results, to enable detection of subtle shifts in blood values to discriminate between bacterial, fungal and viral infections. This can allow quicker diagnosing and treatment options in potential infection cases. Best Wishes, Ashley & Abby Citation: Barratclough, Ashley, and Abby M. McClain. "Machine learning discriminates bacterial, fungal, and viral infections using temporal blood analyte dynamics in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)." American Journal of Veterinary Research 1, no. aop (2026): 1-12. Abstract Objective To determine underlying infectious disease as bacterial, fungal, or viral in origin from longitudinal assessment of biochemistry and hematology in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Methods Blood samples, including up to 63 blood analytes, obtained from 1995 through 2025 from professional-care dolphins with 33 confirmed disease episodes (11 bacterial, 10 fungal, and 12 viral) were included in this retrospective, longitudinal, observational study. Random forest models were trained on 5 defined temporal phases of infection, selecting 34 blood analytes as key features in predicting the most underlying pathogen from routine blood results. Model parameters included the analyte’s absolute value in addition to temporal slope (change in analyte over time), clinical ratios, and statistical aggregates to create a classification model to predict the most likely underlying pathogen from routine blood results. Results 860 blood samples were included from 31 dolphins. The model achieved 75.8% accuracy in pathogen classification (25 of 33 episodes), with disease-specific performance of 80% for fungal, 75% for viral, and 72.7% for bacterial. Temporal slope features, particularly eosinophil and total WBC count rate of change, were selected in 96.8% of validation folds.Conclusions Temporal shifts in disease-specific biomarkers can provide superior diagnostic information compared to single-time-point measures or static threshold ranges. Clinical Relevance Personalized medicine involving longitudinal blood sample monitoring in marine mammals provides the opportunity to detect subtle shifts in blood analyte levels over time specific to that individual. This can be used to discriminate between underlying pathogens, identifying the likelihood of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. Ashley Barratclough BVetMed, MSc WAH, MS, PhD, MRCVS Conservation Medicine Veterinarian National Marine Mammal Foundation 2240 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, CA

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New paper on the status of humpback dolphins in Hong Kong
by Thomas Jefferson 01 Jul '26

01 Jul '26

Dear MARMAM, On behalf of my co-authors, I want to announce the publication of: "Jefferson, T. A., Würsig, B., Tsang, J. H. M., Chan, J. W. Y., & Putnam, M. (2026). Status of Indo-Pacific humpbacdolphins (Sousa chinensis) in Hong Kong, in the context of the wider Pearl River Estuary population. Frontiers in Marine Science, 13, 28 pp. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1836398 ". The abstract is posted below:The largest-known population of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis), consisting of approximately 2,000 individuals, occurs in the estuary of the Pearl River (China’s second largest river), and uses waters of Guangdong Province, Macao, and Hong Kong as parts of its range. It has been intensively studied in Hong Kong since the early 1990s, and in that area has shown a sustained decline for more than a decade. The main threat appears to be loss and degradation of habitat due to large-scale engineering projects, but other threats (e.g., vessel collision, fisheries by-catch, pollution) also exist, and some evidence suggests that the overall population is nearing a critical point for population recovery. Recent impact assessment work in Hong Kong using vessel-based, land-based, and acoustic surveys is presented here and we attempt to put the Hong Kong situation into the context of the wider Pearl River population. Despite the large body of work that has been done on these animals in the past three decades, there are still many unanswered questions. Now is the right time to take appropriate action to protect critical habitat and conduct focused work to halt the decline, and promote population recovery, thereby increasing the prospects for long-term survival. Because the Pearl River Estuary population is still relatively large and apparently viable, the chances for success appear promising. We conclude with a series of recommendations for wildlife management authorities. The paper is open access and can be downloaded at this link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2026.1836398 Best wishes, Tom Jeffersonsclymene(a)aol.com

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Senior Ecological Statistician vacancy
by Phil Bouchet 01 Jul '26

01 Jul '26

The Offshore Renewables group at Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (https://www.bioss.ac.uk/collaborate-us/offshore-renewables) is recruiting for a Senior Statistician (Level 6, 4 days per week) to work on movement modelling of seabirds and marine mammals in the context of offshore wind development. This is a 12-month, fixed-term position which is fully funded from 01/09/26 - 31/08/27. The closing date for applications is 13/07/26. Further details and particulars are available here: https://bioss.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/4244101?cid=2065 Please kindly circulate to any individuals who may be interested and to your wider networks. Many thanks, Dr. Phil Bouchet Senior Statistician (BioSS)

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JNCC-Accredited MMO Training Course – Cornwall (September 2026)
by Stephanie Barnicoat 01 Jul '26

01 Jul '26

*JNCC-Accredited MMO Training Course – Cornwall (September 2026)* Hello everyone, Ocean Watch will be delivering a JNCC-accredited Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) training course on *M*onday 7th and Tuesday 8th September (09:00–17:00 BST) in Mevagissey, Cornwall. The course is led by an experienced instructor with over a decade of expertise in the offshore industry, marine mammal monitoring and mitigation, and MMO training delivery. *Course content includes:* - Marine mammal identification and ecology - Underwater acoustics - Impacts of underwater noise - Mitigation measures and best practice - The role and responsibilities of an MMO The first one and a half days will be classroom-based. On the afternoon of Day 2, delegates will put their skills into practice during a vessel-based session launching from Mevagissey Harbour. Details: - Cost: £250 per person - Student rate: £212.50 (15% discount) - Lunch and refreshments provided For more information, please visit: https://www.oceanwatchmmotraining.co.uk/mmo-training-course <https://www.oceanwatchmmotraining.co.uk/mmo-training-course?fbclid=IwZXh0bg…> To book or ask any questions, please contact: steph(a)oceanwatchmmotraining.co.uk Stephanie Barnicoat BSc (Hons), MSc, CMarSci/CSci IMarEST JNCC Accredited MMO Trainer Ocean Watch | Marine mammal observer (oceanwatchmmotraining.co.uk) <https://www.oceanwatchmmotraining.co.uk/>

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